Nightclub closed, cited for serving alcohol to minors

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At Splash Ultra Lounge in Boston, police conducted a head count at a party Saturday and found overcrowding.

By Melissa M. WerthmannGlobe Correspondent
October 01, 2012

Boston’s Splash Ultra Lounge was forced to close and cited for overcrowding and serving alcohol to minors after an inspection sparked by a father’s complaint that his daughter had run up a $2,800 credit card bill there during a bash where underage Boston University students were allegedly served.

Boston police inspected the Kneeland Street club Saturday after receiving the complaint from the ­father, who told them that his daughter had attended a recent Saturday afternoon event there in which nightclub staff allegedly offered unlimited bottle service to the underage students.

The man said his daughter had racked up the hefty bill at the “Saturday Afternoon Recess Party,” which the club holds on Saturdays from 3 to 7 p.m., police said.

On Saturday, officers saw numerous people lined up outside the club waiting for entry and noted that many of them appeared to be under the age of 21, police said.

The doorman told police there were 247 people in the first-floor area of the club. The roof deck and second floor were closed during the event.

Officers entered the club and saw the first-floor area was crowded and emergency exit aisles were blocked, police said.

Police conducted a head count and tallied 302 patrons and employees in the first-floor area, said Nicole Murati Ferrer, chairwoman of the city’s ­Licensing Board.

According to the venue’s Fire Department assembly permit, and its Inspectional Services Department certificate of occupancy, the capacity of the first-floor area is 210 people, Murati Ferrer said.

When entertainment is taking place, as it was at Saturday’s event, the capacity is 200, police said.

Police called District Fire Chief Scott Malone to the scene.

Malone found management to be in violation of fire codes and ordered the venue shut down, Murati Ferrer said.

Fire officials ordered that the premises remain closed until Splash management submits plans to officials on how they will correct overcrowding, police said. However, patrons were seen entering the club Monday night and an attendant at the door said the club was open for private functions.

Officers asked a clubgoer who was holding a Heineken bottle for proof of age. The man gave police his Brazilian ID, which showed him to be 19 years old, police said.

Officers asked another clubgoer for proof of age and the male gave police a fake Venezuelan driver’s license, police said.

The male later gave his Florida driver’s license, which showed him to be under the age of 21.

Police ejected both males from the club and filed criminal complaint applications in Boston Municipal Court.